Let Us Go the Extra Mile!

This October, our focus is on going the extra mile.

Going beyond the expected is not always about doing more. Sometimes, it is about listening more closely, understanding what matters, making things easier, responding when it matters, and finding better ways to create experiences customers value.

Every interaction is an opportunity to go the extra mile.

So, this month, we ask: What does going the extra mile look like in everyday Customer Experience?

It starts with people who care about the experience they create. It takes teams that work together, leaders who enable better decisions, and organisations that make Customer Experience part of how they work every day.

Let us make October a month of going beyond the expected and finding meaningful ways to make every experience count.

Customer Experience the African Way

The Africa Customer Experience Leaders Forum 2026 brought together CX leaders and professionals from across the continent for three days of rich conversations on leadership, innovation, AI, measurement, customer and citizen experience, and the future of CX in Africa.

Held in Kigali from 16–18 September, the Forum provided a valuable platform to exchange ideas, learn from one another, build connections and strengthen the CX profession across the continent.

We were proud to be part of this important conversation.

Our Faculty Member, Dr. Lucy Kiruthu, CCXP, joined the CXPA Masterclass, sharing key takeaways on elevating the CX profession. As Chair of the Africa CX Standards Commission, Lucy also joined a panel to share updates on the Commission’s work and issued a clear call to action: CX professionals must bring the CX standards to life not simply have them documented.

Our Faculty Member, Duncan Juma, also played a key role in supporting and co-hosting the three-day Forum.

It was a powerful reminder that the future of CX in Africa will be shaped by African CX professionals sharing our stories, raising our standards and learning from one another the African Way.

A Note of Appreciation to Our Guests

We take a moment to appreciate all the guest speakers and CX professionals who have shared their knowledge, experiences and perspectives with our community.

Every conversation has brought a different perspective and helped us keep learning, questioning and thinking differently about customer experience.

Thank you for being part of the conversation and for going the extra mile for our community 💚

Thank You for Journeying With Us!

To everyone who has taken a CX Academy programme, attended a CX session or invested time in developing their CX knowledge, thank you for choosing to make learning a journey.

Each of the CX Academy Africa graduates adds to the growing community of CX professionals shaping better experiences across organisations and across Africa.

We appreciate being part of your learning  journey. 💚

Customer Service Week 2026

The Extra Mile | 5–9 October

What We Are Noticing

The Extra Mile Is Often Found in the Small Things

When customers talk about experiences they remember, it is not always the big gestures that stand out.

Sometimes, it is the employee who takes the time to listen.

• The problem that was resolved without making the customer explain it again.
• The information that was clear and easy to understand.
• The small moment when someone noticed what was needed and acted on it.

These moments may seem ordinary, but they can shape how customers feel about an organisation. Going the extra mile is therefore not always about exceeding expectations with something extraordinary.

Sometimes, it is simply about paying attention to the details that matter.

Let Us Ask Ourselves

• What are the small moments customers remember?
• Where can we make an experience easier or more thoughtful?
• Are we paying attention to what customers value, or only what we deliver?
• What is one experience we could improve today?

Case Study of the Month: How Jirani Health Rethought What It Means to Go the Extra Mile

The Challenge

Jirani Health, a growing healthcare provider, had encouraged its teams to “go the extra mile” in creating better experiences for customers. Employees were committed to providing good service, but the idea of going the extra mile was being interpreted differently across the organisation.

For some teams, it meant doing something extra for customers. For others, it meant spending more time with customers or adding personalised gestures to the service experience.

However, customer feedback revealed that what customers valued most was nothing extra.  They wanted clear information, timely updates, fewer handoffs, and someone to take ownership when they needed help.

The organisation recognised that going the extra mile was not simply about doing more. It was about understanding what mattered to customers and acting on it.

What They Did

Jirani Health went back to the customer experience and looked closely at the moments that mattered most to customers.

The team reviewed customer feedback, looked at common pain points, and asked customers what made them feel genuinely cared for.

Four areas stood out: keeping promises, communicating clearly, reducing unnecessary effort, and taking ownership when something went wrong.

Jirani Health then reframed what “going the extra mile” meant for its teams. Instead of simply encouraging employees to do more, teams were encouraged to look for meaningful ways to make each interaction easier, clearer, and more reassuring.

Managers also began sharing examples of everyday actions that had made a difference to customers, helping teams see that going the extra mile did not always require a big gesture.

The Results

• Employees developed a clearer understanding of what going the extra mile meant from the customer’s perspective.
• Customers experienced clearer communication and fewer unnecessary handoffs.
• Teams became more intentional about taking ownership of customer issues.
• Recognition began to focus on meaningful service actions rather than simply doing more.
• Jirani Health created greater consistency in how teams approached customer interactions.

The Lesson

Jirani Health’s experience showed that going the extra mile is not about how much an organisation does. It is about whether what it does matters to the customer.

Sometimes, the extra mile is simply keeping a promise, making something easier, or taking ownership when it matters most to the customer.

Quote of the Month

“Always do more than is required of you.”  George S. Patton

Quote of the Month

Just for Laughs

Manager: This month, we are going the extra mile. 🚶‍♀️

Team: Great! Where are we going? 👀

Manager: Beyond the expected.

Team: Okay… but can we first fix the process that makes customers call three times? 😅

Manager: That will be the 1st extra mile.

Team: So the extra mile starts with making things easier?

Manager: Easier and easier…. Zero effort.

Team: Now we are talking! 😂

Looking Ahead

Beyond Customer Service Week

Customer Service Week may last one week, but the experiences customers receive are shaped throughout the year.

The celebrations can create energy, recognition, and conversation.

But what happens after the week?

Do the conversations continue?

Do teams keep looking for ways to improve?

Are customer insights being used?

Are employees equipped to respond to customer needs?

Are leaders creating the conditions for better experiences?

The extra mile should not end when Customer Service Week ends.

Let the conversations, lessons, and ideas from the week become part of how organisations continue to create better experiences.

Let Us Go the Extra Mile Together!

Thank you for being part of The CX Academy Africa community.

This October, we invite organisations and CX professionals to look beyond the expected and consider the everyday choices that shape customer experiences.

Let us continue building organisations across Africa that equip their people, strengthen their capabilities, and create experiences that customers value.

Beyond the expected. Making every experience count.

📧 cx@cxacademy.africa
📞 +254 701 873 777
🌐 www.cxacademy.africa